Albrecht Theodor Emil Roon, Graf von

Roon, Albrecht Theodor Emil, Graf von (älˈbrĕkht tāˈōdôr āˈmēl gräf fən rōn) [key], 1803–79, Prussian field marshal. A military reformer, he insistently pleaded for the reorganization of the army. In 1849, serving under Prince William (later king of Prussia from 1861 and German emperor William I from 1871), he helped suppress the revolt in Baden during the revolutionary outbreak of 1848–49. In 1859 he was made minister of war; he retained that position until 1873 and was also minister of marine (1861–71). He would have accomplished little but for the hearty cooperation of Otto von Bismarck, for whose appointment as premier Roon was largely responsible. Roon instituted the three-year compulsory service and the organization of the civilian population into reserve corps. He laid the groundwork for the brilliant success of Prussia in the Danish War (1864), the Austro-Prussian War (1866), and the Franco-Prussian War (1870–71). He served as Prussian premier during 1872. His military books and his memoirs have been the subject of much study.